"It's dusk." I breathe weakly, my eyes shutting as a rush of heat washes over me. I can practically feel it breeze through my hair as the water envelops me. Whatever response Cael might've had gets lost as I'm ripped from this reality, my senses overwhelmed with energy.

It takes me a moment to orient myself, surrounded by flames as I peer out in every direction. Every expanse of earth is engulfed, faces of buildings the only thing breaking through the expanse of fire. I start through the streets hesitantly, flames licking at my body as I walk. It's empty here, but I can hear the chaotic rumble of warfare in the distance.

The sound of explosions sends me running as I duck through the alleys in an attempt find something useful in this place. I can just make out the silhouette of someone ahead of me, but the build is too masculine to be Ljuba. He's running faster than I can keep up with, and it takes every ounce of energy I have to keep him in my view before the he disappears into a line of what seem to be soldiers. Soldiers?

I'm panting as I stop, the distant sound of Marnin's voice calling for Ljuba following the silhouette of the man as the soldiers turn their sights on me. My heart is pounding against my ears as I see their weapons steady, their aims centering on me as I turn on my heels and run back into the flames of the city.

"Teagan?" I say loudly, a note of panic in my voice as the thin woman seems to fuss in her trancelike state. The room has gone hot and humid, the heat cloying at my lungs as I hover over her anxiously. It isn't until the water in the tub starts to boil that I become truly panicked, however.

"Teagan!" I shout as I go to grab her to pull her out. Immediately, I flinch away as her skin and the steam billowing around her burns my hands. Adrenaline fuels me as I reach back in to grab her, the steam increasing tenfold as I siphon off my reserves to counteract the heat. It's as reflexive as jerking my hand away had been, the way I force the freezing touch of my own magic into the situation as I pull Teagan from the tub.

I'm still frantic as I lay her out, soaked to the skin and naked as the day she was born, on the floor. The boiling water has frozen, suspended in its violent state as frost climbs up the walls and across the ceiling. Even the steam slows, every droplet of heat trapped in suspended animation as it crystallizes in the air and eventually stills around us. Now the only steam in the room comes from my breath and from the frost evaporating on Teagan's burning skin as a halo of heat persists around her.

I'm shocked when my hands roam over her reddened skin frantically searching for injuries only to find her perfectly intact. Were it not for my own skin being as cold as the rest of the room, it might hurt to touch her, but between the two of us, our opposing magics are nullified.

"Teagan??" I repeat worriedly, my hands going to her face as I try to get her dilated pupils to focus on me. "Can you hear me?? Teagan!?"

The chaotic blaze around me tinges blue as I feel the sting of cold against my flesh, the roar of the army at my heels. It feels as though my body is moving of it's own accord, my legs feeling limp despite my panicked speed.

The entire world seems to shake and shift beneath my feet, sending me tumbling headfirst, where I lie frozen on the ground. Nausea washes over me as my realities twist into one another, Cael's face coming into focus above me as I reach up to grab his arms.

"Run!" I plead, his visage disappearing as soon as I've said it as my body seizes back into the world of flames.

"Wha-? Teagan?!" I'm completely lost as I try to shake her out of her stupor with Jean standing in the doorway behind me. Looking around frantically, I catch Jean's gaze. "Her bag! There's a vial - blue or - fuck I don't remember!"

"I already got it," Jean says as he comes into the room, unnaturally calm given the situation and the unusual state of the room. I nearly drop the vial as he hands it to me, my fingers shaking as I fumble to get the cap off so I can pour the liquid past her lips. Jean hovers over my shoulder as I coo and whisper to her, coaxing her to swallow as I beg her quietly to wake up.

The world around me dissolves as the bitter tincture burns at my throat, the distant sound of Cael's voice the only thing guiding me back as my head begins to throb painfully. I can taste the cold humidity in the room when the bitterness stuck to my tongue gags me.

The choking is what truly wakes me, though, and I grasp at whatever arms are at my front as I tug myself weakly into an upright position, choking on the taste clinging to my throat.

When I finally open my eyes, I see Cael huddled at my side frantically, fear written on his face as I pant.

"Fire, the entire earth was on fire. It was everywhere," I breathe as I take the blanket, sinking back against the tub as I look up between them. "It was a city...

"I don't know if who I saw was Marnin, but it was a man, and he was looking for Ljuba. I think, anyway, I could hear Marnin yelling for her. He ran through the army, but the army turned. There was this massive battle, like a bloody war had broken out around him."

"The fuck?" I frown, glancing at Jean as though he might have some insight into the vision. He only shrugs and shakes his head, looking at Teagan with concern. "What kind of army..? Was there anything to identify them? Marn's people have a symbol. Did you see anything like that?"

"It doesn't make sense," I shake my head, my heart pounding in my chest worse now that we have more information. "The echo, though... the echo had an accent. I think he was from the north... towards Soltera. Maybe Richard tipped them off? Maybe... fuck, I don't know!"

"Oh my god," I say tensely as I drop my head in my hands, my fingers combing back the hair at my temples as I pull at it anxiously. "This is so much more than I bargained for. Keep her safe. That's all I had to do - how did I fuck this up so stupendously?!"

"Well-," Jean starts, shrugging his shoulder before he bites his lip, pressing them together tightly as he looks down at the floor. "Just relax, Cael... we'll figure it out."

"Yeah," I frown, looking back at Teagan tiredly. "Yeah... we'll figure it out. Maybe we should get moving. It's a hard road to Soltera... the sooner we leave, the more likely we'll be able to make it before the snow is too much to pass through."

"Yeah, let's do that," I nod as I get to my feet, the blood rushing to my head as I do. Jean is quick to grab my arm as I start to tilt to the side, nearly toppling into the tub before I collapse onto the edge.

"Woah, you okay there?" Jean frowns as he keeps a steadying hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I say as I take a deep, steadying breath. "I, um... maybe I could use some tea before we go?"

"I'll make you a batch." I nod, using an arm to clutch the blanket around my front as I brace myself on the tub to stand. It's the first time I notice the state of the bathroom. Damp and humid, with water dripping from every surface.

I'm unsteady at first, but I take several shuffling steps to the door without tumbling. Once I'm out of the hall and in the main room, I dress quickly so I can set to work on Cael's tea, the sink running as I rinse out the kettle and tea balls from it's prior use.

I watch as Teagan leaves, my breath hitching as I notice the way the frost on the walls and hanging in the air around her seems to melt and evaporate as she passes. I can't tell how Jean is feeling, if he's rattled or impassive, his attention focusing instead on getting me back to my feet so I can walk back to the living room.

"You don't seem very effected by all of this," I point out as Jean keeps a steady hand on me as I flop down on the couch, still watching Teagan out of the corner of my eye.

"I grew up with a prime," he shrugs. "I was around poths my whole life."

"I'm an echo," I frown. "I depend on poths, and I'm still shaken up."

"Well, no offense," he starts hesitantly, shaking his head slightly. "But from what I've heard, your prior poth wasn't so much a poth as a scam artist. Nikolai was a doctor and a healer from a place of wealth and prestige. He had people as gifted as Teagan falling over themselves for the pleasure of his business. I saw poths putting on displays of their skill in competition with one another several times a year from the time I was five."

"So you're saying what?" I scowl, trying my best not to be offended. "That because I'm not a doctor or a healer or some kind of noble, I'm what-?"

"Very lucky," he says firmly before I can take it any further. "It's a sad fact that most poths are driven by greed, and an even sadder one that one of the main populations that require their care are so discriminated against that they can't afford a real poth. You got one of the good ones that cares more for her patients than she does her ledger."

Once I've gotten the water boiling again, the kettle readying much quicker than usual, I grab the ingredients for his tea and make my way to sit down at the table. As I lay the items out, I glance up at the two men and their hushed exchange curiously, clearing my throat softly as I look up to Jean.

"Would you like anything?" I ask, nodding back towards my bag, "Doesn't have to cure any ailments, could just be tea. I think I have some chamomile tea tucked away in there."

"I'm fine, considering," Jean shrugs as he takes a seat on the edge of the couch before reaching over to grab a cup for his tea and the tin of chamomile. "I'll be better once we've found Ljuba... or Marnin or whoever the hell it is we're going after now."